This review includes modules 5b-10. All mentioned concepts don’t necessarily include all that was taught about them, since this guide is more like an map of content plus brief descriptions to aid studying for the short answer portion.
- folk (20s): communal / open-source music passed down orally over a long period of time (multi-generational) that generally reflects local or national culture
- Irving Berlin
- musical example: “God Bless America” (1918/38)
- patriotic
- musical example: “God Bless America” (1918/38)
- Woodie Guthrie (1912-1967)
- from: Oklahoma
- known for
- Great Depression background
- socialist & anti-fascism views (inspired future politically-themed folk music)
- musical example: “This Land is Your Land” (1940)
- Woodie Guthrie wrote it
- Great Depression themed, try to cheer people up and stay hopeful
- contemporary: Pete Seeger
- Pete Seeger (1919-2014)
- from: NYC
- genre: Newport Folk
- known for
- civil rights activist; performed concerts that raised money for civil right causes
- sentenced to a year in prison for contempt of congress in 1961 (House Committee on Un-American Activities)
- musical example: “This Land is Your Land” (cover)
- Bob Dylan (b. 1941)
- from: Minnesota; moved to NYC in 1961
- record label: Columbia Records
- producer: John Hammond
- musical example
- ”Blowin’ in the Wind” - a criticism of the Vietnam War
- ”Like a Rolling Stone” - long poetic rant, billboard #2
- ”The Times They Are A-Changin‘“
- known for
- poet > musician; song lyrics with literary merits (e.g., “Blowin’ in the Wind”). Nobel Prize for Literature (2016)
- writing lyrics that serve as social commentary or protests
- Irving Berlin
- folk rock (60s)
- (NOT tested) Creedence Clearwater Revival
- musical example
- ”Fortunate Son”
- musical example
- (NOT tested) Marvin Gaye
- What’s Going On: concept album; protest music (Vietnam War)
- (NOT tested) The Byrds — rock adopts folk
- musical example: “Mr. Tambourine Man” (cover of Bob Dylan)
- Simon & Garfunkel — folk adopts rock
- from: NYC
- known for
- Garfunkel quits the band to go for art school after the band got signed by Columbia
- The electrified version of “Sound of Silence” got used in a film, propelling Simon & Garfunkel’s reunion.
- musical example:
- “Sound of Silence”
- initially a commercial flop; gained success after a producer (Tom Wilson) added electric backing track (“electrified” the song) to the vocals and helped revive the duo
- “Sound of Silence”
- Bob Dylan (cont’d)
- known for
- Newport Folk Festival (1963,1964,1965,…) – 2nd time, Dylan goes electric, which triggered some Folk purists (as John Gilliland commented) — folk rock
- musical examples
- ”The House of the Rising Sun” (cover of Dave Van Ronk’s version, which was a cover of Alan Lomax’s song) — signifies how the communal nature of folk still remains in folk rock, though it does introduces some controversy since rock is commercial music (and copyright can become an issue)
- known for
- (NOT tested) Creedence Clearwater Revival
- soul
- TAMI Show: Teenage Awards Music International
- time: 1964
- location: Santa Monica, CA
- genres: British invasion (The Rolling Stones), surf rock (Beach Boys), Motown (The Supremes, The Miracles), first-wave rock (Chuck Berry), Brill Building, garage rock
- James Brown
- genre: soul (with roots in gospel and R&B)
- known for
- ”godfather of soul”, “hardest working man in show business, “soul brother number one” — deserved nicknames given his epic stage performances
- tyrannical bandleader (even kicked Jimi Hendrix out)
- seasoned performer at “Chitlin’ Circuit”
- started as a gospel singer
- inimitable music “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag, Part I”, couldn’t be whitewashed (e.g., Freddy Cannon)
- musical example
- ”Say It Loud - I’m Black and I’m Proud” – turns African-American gospel influence into a secular song for Black pride
- ”Time Is On Our Side” — TAMI closer (nobody follows James Brown)
- Aretha Franklin
- from: Detroit, MI
- label: Columbia Records (jazz), then Atlantic Records (soul)
- known for
- her mesmerizing use of voice, dynamics, and phrasing earned the title “Queen of Soul”
- recording with FAME Studios (Muscle Shoals, AL) (which Atlantic Records took her to) with the studio band “The Swamper”
- musical example
- ”Respect” – her signature song written by Otis Redding which was a feminist anthem; great secularization of gospel
- Atlantic Records: independent soul record label
- location: NYC
- producer: Jerry Wexler
- known for
- produced jazz and soul records
- remained independent until 1967 (WMG acquisition?)
- first US studio to use 8-track tape deck, which was prohibitively expensive
- its engineer Tom Dowd pioneered linear faders
- musical examples
- ”Respect”, written by Otis Redding, sung by Aretha Franklin (1967), became a feminist anthem (independent lables often create the most unique sound, unlike corporate ones)
- Stax Records/Volt Records: another independent soul record label
- location: Memphis, Tennessee
- known for
- using a converted movie theater for recording (unique sound)
- partnership with Atlantic Records for pressing & distribution
- house band: Booker T and the MG’s
- head arrangement
- musical example
- ”Respect” was written by Otis Redding
- Otis Redding
- from: Macon, Georgia
- record label: Stax Records
- known for
- gospel background
- 1967: Monterey Pop Festival
- 1967: died in a plane crash with members of Bar-Kays
- musical example
- ”Respect” (1965); crossover success
- cover of “Try a Little Tenderness” (1966)
- arranged by Booker T (Stax house band) & Isaac Hayes
- rhythm complexity (polyrhythm)
- review of house bands
- Motown → Funk Brothers
- FAME Studios → The Swampers, FAME Gang
- Stax Records → Booker T and the MGs
- pluralism
- ”Satisfaction” (1965), Otis Redding, cover of The Rolling Stones
- TAMI Show: Teenage Awards Music International
- psychedelic rock
- psychedelia
- known for
- use of psychedelic drug to enhance consciousness
- transcendental meditation
- influence by indian music, e.g., use of sitar (Ravi Shankar)
- hippies: countercultural youth movement in 60s-70s
- eastern philosophy
- sexual liberation
- known for
- Dr. Timothy Leary
- known for
- ”most dangerous man in America”, “high priest of LSD”, encourages the use of drug to enhance consciousness
- quote resembles the essence of psychedelia - journey: “Turn on, tune in, drop out”
- 1970: convicted for marijuana possession
- known for
- summer of love
- locations: San Francisco, Los Angeles, London
- known for
- loosens taboos on sex and drug use
- hippie values come to an international stage & become mainstream, but hippie is countercultural & not meant to be mainstream → conflict
- performing bands: The Doors, Pink Floyd, etc
- Monterey Pop (1967)
- genres: Jazz, Folk, Psychedelic Rock
- bands: Ravi Shankar, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, etc
- known for
- diverse artists & donating proceeds to charities, setting a standard for future music festivals
- The Beach Boys
- genre: surf rock (originated in SoCal), psychedelic rock
- from: LA suburb
- known for
- influenced by Phil Spector, The Beatles and evolved from surf rock to psychedelic rock
- musical example
- Pet Sounds
- an influential concept album (long-form albums) that served as an precursor for psychelic rock, as some would call the album “proto-psychedelia"
- "bouncing down”, a way to cram multiple tracks onto Ampex 4-track machines
- mono audio inspired by Phil Spector
- ”Wouldn’t It Be Nice”
- expansive and non-traditional instrumentation (sitar, accordians)
- deceptively simple but extremely nuanced lyrics → constrasts induce a journey
- Pet Sounds
- The Beatles
- from: UK
- known for
- musical example
- Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
- unbanded concept album inspired by Pet Sounds
- diverse rock sub-genres within the album
- ”A Day In The Life”
- run-out groove loop
- 2-part
- Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
- Jimi Hendrix & The Jimi Hendrix Experience
- known for
- musical example
- ”Purple Haze” from Are You Experienced
- altered consciousness
- ”Wild Thing"
- "Fire”, actually lits guitar on fire during live
- finale of Monterey Pop
- ”Purple Haze” from Are You Experienced
- Woodstock Music and Art Fair
- Altamont Free Concert
- psychedelia
- 70s: hard rock, theatrical rock, etc
- Led Zeppelin
- David Bowie
- known for
- theatrical rock - costume, makeup, miming, etc
- fictional character Ziggy Stardust that serves as part of the album
- musical example: “Ziggy Stardust”
- known for
- (NOT tested) George Clinton
- two bands: Parliament-Funkadelic (→ P-Funk)
- Mothership Connection (1976)
- album: Dr. Funkenstein
- Queen: prog rock
- genres: progressive rock (e.g., “Bohemian Rhapsody”), anthem rock (“We Will Rock You”)
- known for
- diverse genres
- musical example: “Bohemian Rhapsody” – 180 overdubs, potential hidden meaning
- Pink Floyd: psychedelic → prog rock
- known for
- blues origin
- psychedelic space-rock
- political & social commentary
- The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
- unbanded album
- album concept: madness
- ”Money”
- known for
- Rush: prog rock
- known for
- rhythmic complexity & virtuosity
- lyrics with fantasy & scifi themes
- musical example: “YYZ” used morse code
- known for
- punk
- known for
- rebels against prog rock, psychedelia, and commercialism
- New Youth Movement (mid-70s, US & UK)
- precursor groups
- Velvet Underground
- from: NYC
- members: Andy Warhol, Lou Reed
- musical example
- The Velvet Underground & Nico: aesthetic confrontation: album cover with banana peel
- MC5
- from: Detroit, Michigan
- known for
- leftist political views
- energetic live shows
- musical example
- ”Kick Out the Jams” (1969): musical confrontation: with lyrics that caused Hudson’s to ban them & got record label to drop the band
- The Stooges
- from: Ann Arbor, Michigan (same state as MC5)
- known for
- self-mutilation
- performative/physical confrontation
- musical example
- ”I Wanna Be Your Dog” (1969)
- Velvet Underground
- The Ramones
- from: NYC (same as Velvet Underground)
- known for
- simple, fast, short songs
- ”Aggressive Regression”
- musical example
- ”Blitzkrieg Bop”
- CBGB: NYC underground venue
- location: NYC
- artists: Patti Smith
- Patti Smith
- known for
- godmother of Punk
- literary rock
- raw reality
- musical: “Gloria”
- known for
- Sex Pistols
- known for
- rebellious performance
- musical example: “God Save the Queen”, played during Silver Jubilee on Thames River
- known for
- known for
- pop stars
- Michael Jackson
- producer: Quincy Jones
- known for
- personal brand image + musical talent
- popularizing music videos as artistic products
- inventing the moonwalk
- king of pop
- musical example: “Thriller” + MV, “Billie Jean” & moonwalk presented at Motown 25
- Jackson 5
- record label: Motown
- Madonna
- known for
- controversy from films, photo shoots (Playboy), and album / song titles (Like a Virgin)
- Cola Wars commercial “Make a Wish” used to premiere her song “Like a Prayer” → Christian controversy → takedown
- musical example: “Make a Wish”
- known for
- Van Halen
- Michael Jackson
- hip hop
- DJ Kool Herc
- known for
- indefinite percussion breaks by using two record players / turn tables
- known for
- DJ Kool Herc